Adjustable shelf mounting



1953 c. SCHEUER ADJUSTABLE SHELF MOUNTING Filed Feb. 9, 1949 JNVENTOR. CLEMENS SCHEUER P atented Feb. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE ADJUSTABLE SHELF MOUNTING Clemens Scheuer, Forest Hills, N. Y.

Application February 9, 1949, Serial No. 75,339

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in attachments for shelves, and, more particularly, the aim is to provide a novel and valuable display-apparatu combination incorporating erectile supporting means for acting as the basal or as an intermediate weight-bearing carrier for a shelf to be held elevated table-top fashion.

The kind of display apparatus in connection with which the use of the present invention is now deemed to be of greatest value is that which is used largely in retail sales establishments, as for placement in a show window facing the street or in a show-case inside the shop, and then for having its shelf component or components carry units of merchandise. For giving great latitude to the exercise of the artistic talent of the window dresser, a feature of the invention i that the shelf elements thereof may be readily variously grouped and arranged as to relative elevations and other spatial relations. Thus, according to the present invention, wide scope is available for the exercise of the ingenuity and aesthetic inclinations of the window dresser, and this by the aid of a display-apparatus combination which may be used in conjunction with a plurality of its fellows, all alike or some different or all different from others in typical appearance, but all with.- in the invention; whereby any one or more of .a multiplicity of unusually attractive display ensembles may be at any time set up..

2 invention by having said erectile means, below called the legs-support, include a pair of upstanding leg elements one at least of which is resiliently flexible, as by being made of a suitable metal rod; by uitably joining or connecting said pair of leg elements at or near their lower ends;

' and by fixedly mounting on each such leg ele Incarrying out the invention, the shelf components, below called the shelves, maybe of any shape in plan, as square, polygonal, circular,

.oval, oblongovate, or otherwise; but desirably such a shelf is of uniform thickness throughout; that is, constituted as a slab having uniplanar parallel upper and lower surfaces but the thickness may be varied as desired. These shelves -may be made of any material, but obviously,

for optimum display eflicacy, they are desirably transparent, as by being made of glass, Lucite or some other plastic or other suitable material.

In addition to such shelves, the new displayapparatus combination includes an erectile means as already mentioned, at the top of or at a high point on which means a shelf is to be mounted.

ment, at or near the top of one thereof and at a corresponding height on the other, a grooveincorporating keeper for an edge portion of the shelf, with the grooves of the two keepers mutually facing; and by elastically biasing one or both of said leg elements in such manner that when oppositely located marginal portions of a shelf are entered into said keepers, there is automatically established a tight frictional grip at the bottoms of said grooves against opposite portions of the shelf.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, illustrating one of the now favored single shelf embodiments of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged partial vertical sectional view taken on the line 2 -2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, illustrating two other now favored single shelf embodiments, in one possible grouping thereof.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged partial vertical sectional view taken on the line a4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is also a perspective view, illustrating still another now favored single shelf embodiment.

Fig. 6 similarly illustrates another now favored embodiment, this a plural shelf one.

Fig. 7 show another now favored plural shelf embodiment.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the assembly of Fig. '7, with the shelves merely indicated in dot and dash lines.

Fig. 9 illustrates a further variation of a plural shelf arrangement according to the invention.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 8, but showing the assembly of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of a shelf construction in accordance with a still further modification of the present invention which is similar to one of the shelves shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged partial vertical sectional view taken on the line |2|2 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged partial horizontal sectional view taken on the line |3l3 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of one of the channel members of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 11 to 13.

Fig. 15 i an enlarged perspective view of the channel shaped fitment used to grip the round shelves l5.

Fig. 16 is a similar view to 15 but illustrating another modification of the invention.

Now referring to the drawings more in detail, in Figs. 1 and 2, the shelf M is, by way of example, shown as rectangularly elongate, and is formed of transparent material; such as glass or one of the transparent resinous materials.

The legs-support of the invention is illustrated as comprised of a pair of like U-frames l6, each made say of a single length of thin resilient metal rod, and each incorporating a pair of upstanding legs I! joined at their bottoms by a floor-contacting bar l8. These frames have their legs elastically biased so as normally to urge fitments l9 fixed at the tops of the legs into closer mutual adjacency than the width of the shelf M. The fitments 9, see Fig. 2, are the groove-incorporating keepers already referred to, and each of said keepers is in the form of a substantially rigid horizontal channel member having a longitudinal groove placed to clasp an edge portion of the shelf l4 when the latter is interposed between the two oppositely facing keepers.

Referring to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the assembly of lesser height comprises the parts lfi H |8 and H! which correspond, respectively to the parts l6, l1, l8 and I9, and in the assembly of greater height the parts l6, ll I8 and I9 correspond, respectively, also to said parts 6, l1, l8 and I9. Here, however, a shelf 4 is engaged merely at a single location along each of its opposite ends, instead of at two points along each of its opposite sides as in Fig. 1; and the floor-contacting bars |8 and l8 are themselves U-shaped.

Also, mounted on the vertical walls of each of the fitments l9 there is a piece of soft rubber 50, see Fig. 4, for engaging the inserted edge portion of the shelf M for frictionally retaining the shelves M in position in their respective fitments IS. The pieces of rubber 50; are secured in position by a layer of mucilage 5| interposed between the contacting faces of the vertical wall of the fitment l9 and the pieces of rubber 50.

Referring to Fig. 5, the parts |6, I7 l8 and I9 functionally correspond, respectively, to the parts l6, l1, l8 and I9; but here the floor-contacting bar |8 is of substantially semicircular extension. Here, also, each of the shelf keepers has the bottom of its groove curvilinearly elongate to match the curvilinear boundary of the round shelf l5.

Referring to Fig. 6, in this fairly elaborate arrangement, the central portion thereof, for gripping the uppermost central shelf I5, is comprised of parts lt ll I3 and w these corresponding, respectively, to the parts l6, l1, l8 and I9; together with a horizontal bar 23 at a level approximately halfway along the height of the frame lt Also included in said arrangement are a pair of larger like inwardly placed frames 2|, and a pair of smaller like outwardly placed frames 22.

In combination with all the foregoing, with all the five frames suitably rigid interconnected,

a pair of keepers 23 for the second lower shelf I5 at the right is provided, one fixed to one of the legs ll and the other fixedly carried at the top of the vertically upwardly extended leg of the adjacent frame 2|; a pair of keepers 24 for the second lower shelf l5 at the left is provided, one fixed to the other of the legs I! and the other fixedly carried at the top of the vertically upwardly extending leg of the adjacent frame 2|; a pair of keepers 25 for the lowermost shelf [5 at the right is provided, one fixed to the vertically upwardly extending leg of the adjacent frame 2| and the other fixedly carried at the top of the vertically upwardly extending leg of the adjacent frame 22; and, further, a pair of keepers 26 for the lowermost shelf l5 at the left is provided, one fixed to the vertically upwardly extending leg of the adjacent frame 2| and the other fixedly carried at the top of the vertically upstanding leg of the adjacent member 22. An adequately expansive basal foundation for the erectile supporting means for the five shelves 5 is provided by arranging different frames in different planes, as by arranging each of the immediately adjoining frames 2| and 22 in a plane at an oblique angle to the plane containing the frame I6 In Figs. '7 and 8, the arrangement illustrated is similar to that just described in connection with Fig. 6, except that in Figs. 7 and 8 there are present merely two frames 21, these corresponding to the frames 2|, in addition to the frame [6", this corresponding to the frame l6 (that is, to the frame |6 minus the bar 20). Consequently, there are shown as here present only the pairs of keepers I9 23 and 24 these corresponding, respectively, to the pairs of keepers l9 23 and 24.

In Figs. 9 and 10, the parts l6 and I9 correspond, respectively, to the parts 6 and I9, while the parts 23 correspond to the parts 23 The keeper 23 remote from the frame l6 is fixedly carried at the top of the vertically upwardly extending leg of an auxiliary frame 28, said leg marked 29. The frame 28, in addition to the leg 29, is completed by a compoundly reversely curved bottom arm 30, suitably connected to the adjacent leg of the frame. l5 where it crosses the same, and so shaped as to participate at its free end in providing an adequately expansive basal foundation for the assembly.

In Figs. 11 to 14 a further modification of the present invention is shown applied to a shelf which is similar in construction to the foremost of the two shelves shown in Fig. 3. The shelf of this further modification is shown in plan in Fig, 11 and comprises a top rectangular shelf member l4 formed of glass or a molded resinous plastic material. The shelf member I4 is supported in an elevated position by a substantially U-shaped frame d0 having a pair of vertically extended side arm portions 4| and a substantially U-shaped bottom portion 42 for resting upon a flat horizontal surface.

The top ends of the side arm portions 4| are provided with channel shaped members 43 which have their open sides directed toward each other to receive the opposed ends of the shelf member i l. The opposed ends of the shelf member M are formed with a plurality of adjacent V-shaped notches 34, see Figs. 11 and 13. The ends of the channel shaped members 43 are formed with internal V -shaped projections 45, see Figs, 13 and M, which extend into spaced pairs of the notches 44 and securely retain the shelf It in position in the channel shaped members 43.

The U-shaped frame 48 is constructed of flexihie material, so that the side arm portions iii may be pulled apart disengaging the projections s5 from the V-shaped notches i i freeing the shelf it to be shifted to a new position with relation to the channel shaped members 43. From Figs. 12 and 13 it will be noted that the top and bottom portions of the channel shaped members 53 are somewhat longer than the projections 35, so that when the projections :55 are disengaged from the notches 4 the ends of the shelf will be still positioned within the channel shaped members 3 to guide horizontal movement of the shelf :4 in the channel shaped members :3 relative to the projections 35.

in Fig. 15, the channel-shaped fitment 1a: of the U-shaped bottom portion 32 is shown to be arcuate so as to grip a round shelf I5. The outer surface 59 and the inner surface 1% are shown to be circular. This fitment may be of any length and thickness and may be made of any suitable material of smooth finish or ornamented as desired.

In 18 the channel-shaped fitment 1% of U-shaped bottom portion 42 is arcuate.

'The outer surface 19 of this fitment is shown to be circular but the inner surface ii? is of vshaped formation.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the preelse constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications cozning within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

Means adjustably mounting a shelf between the top ends of a pair of upstanding legs, comprising elongated channel-shaped members mounted with the lengths extended horizontally on the top ends of the legs and with their open sides facing one another and engaged over the side edge portions of the shelf from opposite sides thereof, the legs being resiliently biased toward one another holding said channel-shaped members in position on the shelf, the shelf having horizontally extended V-shaped notches along its edge portions engaged by said channel-shaped members, and spaced horizontal v-shaped projections formed within said channel-shaped members and engaged with spaced pairs of said ll-shaped notches retaining the shelf against movement relative to said channel-shaped members in a direction parallel to the length of said channelshaped members, so constructed and arrange that the legs can be pulled apart disengaging said projections from said notches freeing the shelf to he slid to the desired adjusted position relative to said channel-shaped members and aligning said projections with other pairs of said notches, said channel-shaped members having top and bottom portions which extend alon the top and bottom faces of the shelf and which extend beyond the inner ends of said projections so that when said projections are disengaged from said notches the side edge portions of the shelf will still be located between said top and bottom portions of said channel-shaped members for guiding horizontal sliding movements of the shelf relative to said channel-shaped members.

CLEMENS SCHEUF'R.

REFERENCES ETEB The following references are of record in the rile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. M2311 Glulies Aug. 21, 1945 902,511 Voska Oct. 27, 1908 1,277,827 Barber Sept. 3, 1918 1,378,753 Zwilling May 17, 1921 1,586,213 Nielsen May 25, 1926 1,697,094: Turk Jan. 1, 1929 1,764,413 Nielsen June 17, 1930 2,077,829 Erickson Apr. 20, 1937 2,141,003 Meyer Dec. 20, 1933 2,276,308 Hugh Mar. 17, 1942 2,42%,069 Shapiro July 15, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 379,59si Great Britain Sept. 1, 1932 

